Three UN Special Procedures urge Spain to take active measures against the use of spyware

Feb 3, 2023

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights also demands participation of Spain in the global moratorium on the sale of espionage technology

On May 2022, Sine Qua Non, in behalf of several Catalan politicians belonging to the political organisation Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), and in coordination with other organizations affected by Catalangate, co-signed a communication to the UN denouncing illegal use of spyware Pegasus against them, as Catalan pro-independence politicians, in a large political espionage scandal, known as CatalanGate, where 65 individuals were attacked.

The Special Procedures on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, on Freedom of Assembly and on Minority Issues acknowledged the violations of fundamental rights and demanded Spain to take “all the necessary measures to protect the fundamental rights” of the victims and to “investigate, prosecute and impose the appropriate sanctions“, as well as to take “effective measures” to prevent incidents like these from happening again.

UN experts showed concern by “the extent and sophistication of the reported spying programme, against leaders and activists who “did not engage in any violent activities”. They claim that the use of this type of spyware may increase self-censorship, with a chilling effect that affects the right to freedom of expression and the rights of freedom of assembly, as well as other violations.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights also urged Spain to “participate in the global moratorium” on the sale of espionage technology “until its use is regulated in line with international human rights”. A moratorium to which, they recalled, “the High Commissioner of the United Nations at the time, Michelle Bachelet, already joined it”.

See the information: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/02/spain-un-experts-demand-investigation-alleged-spying-programme-targeting

Know more

What are Special Procedures?

https://www.ohchr.org.en/special-procedures-human.rights-council

What is the High Commissioner on Human Rights?

https://www.ohchr.org/en/about-us/high-commissioner

 

February 2023

 

 

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